Bright Little Stars is the first UK nursery group to receive an award for supporting children born prematurely across all of its settings.

All six Bright Little Stars nurseries received the Prem Aware Award from charity The Smallest Things.

To achieve the award, the settings had to complete free online training, encourage parents to share information about their child’s birth history, and seek the views of parents around SEND support. The training outlines the impact premature birth can have on a child’s development and learning, and offers practical ways to support children born prematurely through their education.

Bright Little Stars nursery manager Karma Kaur said: “This prestigious recognition validates our unwavering commitment to fostering awareness, providing support to our cherished families, and catalysing transformative changes that we hope will shape the trajectory of early developmental milestones for our precious premature babies.”

Catriona Ogilvy, founder and chair of The Smallest Things said: “The Smallest Things is delighted to see Bright Little Stars leading the way in early years to support families and their children born prematurely. Starting nursery can be a big step for neonatal families and this will give them added reassurance and confidence.”

She added: “Having trained staff who know what to look out for and how to help children born prematurely will have such a positive impact for families after neonatal care and on their children’s educational journeys.”